Official Site for the Crystal Park Volunteer Fire Department
and the Crystal Park Metropolitan District

Metro District Budget

Property Taxes: Metro District tax revenues are limited by a fixed mill levy. This mill levy cannot be changed without an official vote by residents of Crystal Park. Someday there could be an increase in the mill levy due to increased costs. The mill levy is detailed on your annual property tax statement from El Paso County. Property taxes, including specific ownership taxes, are income tax deductible, whereas HOA dues are not, and only those District members having a platted and deeded site pay property taxes. Note that not all Metro District members are HOA members, and vice-versa. In 2009-2012, property values were typically adjusted downwards due to state and national economic conditions at the time. It is anticipated that tax revenues to the Metro District will begin to go up as the housing market improves.

Donations and Fundraising: Donations of equipment, supplies and cash for the fire department are made to the Metro District so that donors may be eligible for charitable tax deductions. Fundraising revenue comes through an annual fundraising drive put on by the "Friends of the CPFD" that is specifically geared toward the lease/purchase of our "new" 2004 Engine. In proposed annual budgets, these are purely estimated.

Grants: The Metro District acts on behalf of the CPFD to sponsor and administer grant funds for the department. Grants have become an important source of revenue, but in proposed budgets, these revenues can only be estimated and are "contingent" upon being awarded the grants for which we apply. This is an accounting mechanism recommended by the District’s CPA’s. These estimates may or may not actually occur, either as revenue or expenditures.

Pass through Funds: The Crystal Park Homeowners Asociation (CPHOA) provides funds to the District for vehicle insurance on two shared-use vehicles that are insured by the District.

Expenditures

Administration: These include fees and legal, accounting and miscellaneous costs associated with the administration of Metro District funds.

Insurance: The District pays for continuing costs including workers compensation insurance for all department members, liabilty, and equipment/vehicle insurance.

Multi-use Building Expenses (MUB): Under an agreement with the CPHOA, the Metro District now assumes all costs for operating and maintaining the MUB/Fire Station.

Fire Protection Expenses: The Metro District’s primary function is fire protection and emergency medical services, and expenditures reflect that. "Supplies, training, and other" expenses include matching local funds for grants and expenditures that are contingent upon receiving grants. A large expense is the maintenance/purchase of radios and annual FCC license fees. Note that beginning in 2012, the intergovernmental agreement with the City of Manitou Springs no longer requires an expenditure of $10,000 each year for fire protection.

Capital Outlay: In the past, expenditures in this category largely consisted of installing cisterns and road/house signs and posts necessary to guide outside emergency responders. However, signage needs have stabilized and the Metro recently installed a 10,000 gallon cistern in the middle park. A water tender was purchased in 2013 to assist in moving water to fire. This will move the Department forward toward the goal of improving the District’s ISO rating and thereby reduce insurance premiums for homeowners.

The Metro Board of Directors, in conjunction with the CPFD, continues to evaluate and identify more effective uses for revenue, consistent with its fire protection function, and at its discretion has adjusted or created budgeted allocations across existing or new expense categories. An example of this is CPFD efforts to improve water delivery and overall fire protection capabilities in the Park. In addition, certain expenditures dependent upon grants are also included in this category. These may or may not actually occur contingent upon receiving grants.